Technical Advisory Committee recommends sewage surveillance for early detection of monkeypox in Karnataka

The State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) on Communicable Diseases, which held its first meeting on Mpox (monkeypox) surveillance in Karnataka on August 19, has recommended waste water/sewage surveillance for early detection of the virus.

The State Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) on Communicable Diseases, which held its first meeting on Mpox (monkeypox) surveillance in Karnataka on August 19, has recommended waste water/sewage surveillance for early detection of the virus.

Members of STAC were of the opinion that in the epidemiological context of zero-case scenario in the State as of now, it is important to look for the presence of the virus.

“The Health Department should initiate sewage surveillance for Mpox from the arrival terminals of Bengaluru and Mangaluru airports. The help of Tata Institute for Genetics and Society (TIGS), Bengaluru and other such agencies should be explored,” the STAC report stated.

While recommending that one isolation facility should be readied for Mpox cases in Bengaluru and Mangaluru, the STAC has advised that rapid response teams (RRTs) should be trained and readied for surveillance.

“Besides, the Health Department should liaise with the Airport Health Authority at Bengaluru and Mangaluru for screening patients,” the report stated.

“As per guidelines by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) under the Directorate General of Health Services, Government of India, even one case should be considered as an outbreak, and a detailed investigation should be done by the RRTs. Sewage surveillance has been done in the U.S. and a similar exercise should be taken up before any case is confirmed in the State. There is no need to panic as the State is prepared to manage if there is any outbreak,” STAC sources told The Hindu on Friday.

Rakesh Mishra, TIGS Director, said the institute is planning to start wastewater surveillance for Mpox if the need arises. “We have not detected any Mpox viral DNA in our routine wastewater monitoring. We have been regularly conducting environmental surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and vector surveillance for dengue in Bengaluru,” he said.